BURLINGTON — A judge has ruled that a lawsuit filed by the partner of a Vermont man who died in a stun-gun confrontation with police may proceed.

Theresa Davidonis filed the suit against Trooper David Shaffer and the Vermont State Police in July. It says Shaffer was “malicious, wanton, willful and outrageous” when he fired his Taser at Macadam Mason’s chest outside their Thetford home on June 20.

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office, which represents Shaffer and state police in the case, had asked Judge Timothy Tomasi in January to dismiss the claims saying they failed to allege Shaffer acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct.

The office asked that the trooper be granted immunity, but Tomasi disagreed in his ruling last week.